While the swarm was building up and growing Mark was making his way through the forest intending on trying the limit of all of his skills as he increased the level of all the pending ones as the surge of omnipotence filled his being.
His flesh warped, then expanded before compressing, his claws and bone spurs grew a few centimeters as it gained a darker hue of grey, his armor shifted as another layer seemed to be growing under it, as some hard to see writings began taking form on his armored body!
The feeling of a skill growing was always something intoxicating, like satisfying an addiction after enduring withdrawals for so long.
the only problem though was how difficult it was to grow skills, the efforts put into it would be worthwhile regardless of what the skill was, but that was something that Mark didn't have to worry about as his race grew fast in battle the more enemies there were against him, but we all know what happens should he try and exploit this too much, no?
But Mark doesn't even know about both the boons and banes of his curse as the effects of growing his skill also leaves a lasting effect on him.
He was breathing heavily as his armor felt constricting thus he ripped off what was left of his armor as his frame was expanding, he was feeling hungry and a different kind of pang enveloped him, as the sound of muscle and bone vigorously moving and creaking came from his large frame.
The faceless head of his split horizontally as 4 rows of blade-like teeth was starting to crave flesh and blood, a steamed breath came from the new mouth as a trickle of drool fell to the ground as his body fell to all fours before dashing forward.
----Timmy the bandit's pov----
Hey all that are reading this, I am Timmy, a runaway slave turned bandit, in the old fort of ogre's stopping as for why it was called that was due to the constant fights with ogres that looked like humans however they had horns and different colors of skin
Ha~ life nowadays is so hard to live through even if we have a large stronghold made of stone to ourselves, as monsters from simple goblins to usual fucking ogres were attacking this place trying to make it their breeding grounds, well fuck'em this is our breeding grounds... wait that came out wrong!
This is our home! yeah, that's what I meant to say! but yeah I've been a bandit for nearly 5 years now, I have so many scars here and there missing a few fingers but at least I didn't suffer anything like ol' half Dicky had gotten.
that daring bastard decided to have his way with the chief's daughter back at his old village only to get a punishment according to his title among us bandits.
his dick got split in half! HAHAHAHA!
Thus half dicky! get it?.... feh sucks to be you if you don't!
But anyway back to my current situation, I was sent to the walls to act like the annoying Nightwatch!
with seven other people on this 12-meter tall wall, that was also thick enough to last through a siege of catapults for half a day!
Ok, I'm not entirely sure since were never tested it but the first part was true!
(A/N I was listening to Deus vult by JT music while writing this part)
The watch was pretty peaceful for a few hours that was until something hit the wall strong enough to create a loud thunderclap-like sound that shook our bodies as our ears were ringing on the bright side we didn't need to run the alarm as the whole stronghold heard that attack!
All seven of us fell to the ground as some passed out from having their organs be rattled up I was one of the luckier ones that had a skill that made me resist physical damage as I struggled to get to my feet before looking down from the wall to see what the fuck hit us...
Oh, how I will remember the look that monster gave me, er, wait it didn't have eyes just a big ass mouth with four rows of teeth as if meant for grinding down its prey.
What did I do? well, I tensed up like any man and stood my ground as I knew that it'd probably find a way to get into the stronghold.... NOT!
LIKE HELL, I WOULD DO THAT KIND OF SHIT! I FUCKING RAN!
I wasn't a 5 years bandit for nothing~ I knew when to run and when to stay when to fuck and when to eat! simple elementary stuff whatever that certain detective said!(surprised no one noticed this little hint~ of something)
The scary thing that happened next though was that monster that was at the bottom of the wall climbed the wall before getting a bite out of one of the still downed Nightwatch then started swinging its head from side to side as the victim's blood sprayed out, staining the area, all while the man was screaming for help!
Well, it was nice knowing ya man! but I gotta vamoose!
When the monster finished up on the victim it had torn up was when the others managed to collect themselves and launched an assault(suicide attempt!).
some of the braver(dumber) Nightwatch armed with spears due to the lack of arrows and good weaponry attacked like idiots before one was slammed into the ground with its large paw(wait it looks more like a hand but whatever) then the second bastard got his head bitten off in one clean bite as blood splurted out, as the large spike-covered tail made a swipe towards the rest the victims it hit were left in pieces as I reached the door to inside the stronghold then slammed it closed while trying to get away from the place!
Why? cause I know better than to believe our bandit leader had even the ba- wait I forgot this one was a woman this time so she doesn't even have any!
But no matter I highly doubt that she can handle this calamity!
By the way, the door I slammed shut was busted open hell the whole wall it was connected to was destroyed along within and this monster was looking even scarier now as blood dyed its body as the corpses of its victims were attached to the spikes on its back!
"Damnit Timmy, WHY THE HELL DID YOU BRING IT HERE!?"
The one shouting now is Mike, he was one of the four of our former B ranked adventurers that had a skill called "golden body" this old man was said to be one of the greatest tanks as he was already armored up with a long sword and a kite shield and plate armor.
I literally ran past him trying to leave the area as another loud sound of metal grinding against something before a deafening sonic boom happened as the voice of Mike echoed out in pain!
"ARRRRGGGGGHHHHH!!!! LET-GO-OF-ME YOU DAMNED MONSTER!!!"
By the way, I think that was the first time I have ever seen a monster actually listen as it did release him however the old man was thrown through the wall behind me as his unconscious bleeding self was flying past me like a ragged doll before I felt a cold gaze fall upon me as I was running so i made the dumbest decision at that moment as I turned to see...
the monster was facing towards me...
Those blood-covered teeth had some pieces of Mike's armor in it!
I was crying at that moment as I resumed running while thinking back to the one person that made me feel safe when I was younger!
All while i squealed out one word as this monster that gaining on me!
"MMMOOOOMMMMMMMYYYYYYY!!!!!"